Kerala’s General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Saturday firmly defended the government’s decision to introduce Zumba in schools, amid mounting opposition from several Muslim organisations. Calling the backlash an expression of “majoritarian communal tendencies,” Sivankutty reaffirmed that Zumba would continue as a part of physical activity programmes in state-run schools.

“When several states protested against the hijab, we took a progressive stand. But now, some organisations are promoting conservative views under the garb of cultural protection,” Sivankutty remarked, criticising attempts to communalise the issue.

The minister also dismissed claims about inappropriate attire, stating, “No one is asked to wear revealing clothes for Zumba. Students are practising it in their regular school uniforms. As per the RTE Act, students are mandated to participate in government-recommended learning processes.”

He clarified that nearly 90% of government schools in Kerala already conduct various physical activities, including Zumba, which are aimed at improving the physical and mental well-being of students. 

The Minister added that Kerala’s school curriculum has integrated health and physical education as a core subject, with content updated to meet global standards. These include body movement, nutrition, stress relief, and cardiovascular fitness. Activities like Zumba and aerobic dance are promoted for their benefits in improving lung capacity, heart health, and emotional stability. The government argues that such exercises reduce stress and build social and ethical values among students. In a state facing lifestyle-related diseases, such initiatives, the minister said, are timely and necessary, unlike the communal narratives being pushed to derail them.

The Kerala government had earlier announced that Zumba would be introduced in schools from this academic year to help students manage stress and maintain physical health. Several schools had already begun Zumba sessions with support from Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). However, the decision sparked a wave of resistance from Islamic organisations and conservative sections of the Muslim community.

The Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, a prominent body of Islamic clerics, and its affiliated Samastha Yuvajana Sangam (SYS), opposed the programme. SYS leader Abdusamad Pookkottur called Zumba “against society’s moral values” and accused the government of pushing a culturally inappropriate activity at a time when schools are facing a shortage of trained physical education teachers.

TK Ashraf, a teacher and member of the Wisdom Islamic Organisation, publicly declared that he would not allow his own children to attend Zumba classes. He argued that Zumba promoted an alien culture through music, revealing attire, and mixed-gender dancing. Similarly, PK Navas, state president of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), criticised the state for acting unilaterally without sufficient discussion.